Reports that a second U.S. Air Force combat plane was shot down Friday in the Persian Gulf region are not accurate.
An A-10 Warthog attack caught "enemy fire" while a rescue operation for the U.S. crew member took place, a well-placed source told Fox News.
The New York Times reported the aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf and that its lone pilot was rescued.
An Air Force F-15E was shot down over Iran Friday and one pilot was rescued. A search for a second crew member was underway.
Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., issued a statement Friday after reports that an F-15E fighter jet went down over Iran.
“As someone shot down behind enemy lines, my heart goes out to the crew members and their loved ones who are waiting for answers," Duckworth wrote on X. "It's a relief one servicemember has been found and rescued, and I'm grateful for those risking their lives to look for the one who remains missing."
Duckworth, a former Black Hawk helicopter pilot with the Illinois Army National Guard, deployed to Iraq in 2004, according to her official Senate biography.
That November, her aircraft was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), leaving her without both legs and with limited mobility in her right arm.
Controlling the skies above a combat zone never means zero risk, experts says, as critics point to the loss of the lone U.S. aircraft that was downed over Iran on Friday, resulting in one service member missing.
The downing of a Air Force F-15E fighter jet has prompted questions about the Trump administration's claims of air superiority over Iran's skies.
"By historical standards, one fighter loss, after four weeks of combat, over highly defended territory is amazingly low," Ret. Lt. Gen. David Deptula said Friday on "The Will Cain Show."
"It means the ability to operate where and when use choose without prohibitive interference," he added.
Deptula noted that coalition forces in Operation Desert Storm lost nearly one aircraft per day over 43 days of combat.
{{#rendered}}Iran and its proxy terrorist militias have issued targeted threats against universities in Lebanon, and the State Department has warned Americans to get out now while commercial flights are still available, U.S. officials said.
Officials said Iran has "specifically threatened" American universities across the Middle East.
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut described the security situation in Lebanon as "volatile and unpredictable."
"Airstrikes, drones and rocket attacks occur throughout the country, especially in the south, the Beqaa, and parts of Beirut," officials wrote in a security alert.
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut added that it strongly encourages U.S. citizens in southern Lebanon, near the border with Syria, in refugee settlements and in the southern suburbs of Beirut — including Dahiyeh — to depart those areas immediately.
"We recommend that U.S. citizens in Lebanon who choose not to leave prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate further," according to the State Department.
This post is an excerpt from an article by Alexandra Koch.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday, as the two leaders addressed escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf and voiced support for a ceasefire “as soon as possible.”
According to an announcement from the Kremlin's office, both warned that “heavy hostilities” are causing “severe consequences” for energy, trade and logistics.
“The leaders noted that they shared the stance in [favor] of achieving a ceasefire as soon as possible and working towards compromise peace agreements that would take into account the legitimate interests of all the regional states,” the announcement noted.
Putin and Erdogan also discussed the war in Ukraine and ways to expand economic cooperation, including joint energy projects, the Kremlin said.
Iran is ramping up the recruitment of children as young as the age of 12 into military-linked roles tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to new reports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
Human Rights Watch said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched a campaign called "Homeland Defending Combatants for Iran," lowering the minimum recruitment age to 12 and encouraging minors to sign up in mosques and through Basij, a volunteer paramilitary force under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The roles go beyond support tasks and include "operational patrols," staffing checkpoints and intelligence activities, putting children directly in harm’s way as fighting intensifies across the country.
Amnesty International said the recruitment and deployment of children under 15 "constitutes a war crime," and backed its findings with verified visual evidence and eyewitness accounts.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter.
{{#rendered}}Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is facing backlash after signaling a willingness to end the war, exposing deep divisions within Iran’s political and military establishment, according to media reports.
In a Tuesday phone call with European Council President Antonio Costa, Pezeshkian said Iran is willing to help bring the conflict with the United States and Israel to an end, but that “essential conditions, especially guarantees to prevent renewed aggression, are met," London-based Iran International reported.
Pezeshkian's remarks were immediately criticized by Iranian officials.
“The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the defense of the nation against the aggression of evildoers and the conditions for ending the imposed war has not changed, and there is no regard for the delusions and lies of criminals," Mehdi Tabatabaei, the deputy for communications and information at the president’s office, responded on X.
In an open letter published on X, hardline activist Mohammad Shirakvand criticized Pezeshkian’s appeal for European guarantees:
“When you yourself state that the United States does not believe in diplomacy, what does speaking of guarantees for ending the war mean other than repeating a costly mistake?” he wrote. "This war is a battle of truth against falsehood and an arena of clashing wills. The government must play on this field, not on promises that have repeatedly proven unreliable."
Iran’s top officials are stepping out in Tehran, appearing in public alongside crowds in what analysts say is an effort to signal the regime remains firmly in control despite weeks of deadly strikes.
State television recently aired footage of President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi greeting members of the public, taking selfies and shaking hands with supporters in the capital, according to The Times of Israel.
Insiders and analysts say the appearances are deliberate — a show of resilience meant to convey that Iran’s leadership remains “unshaken” and firmly in charge, even as attacks continue to target senior officials, The Times of Israel reported.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not made a public appearance since taking power on March 8, according to the outlet.
President Donald Trump refused to discuss the potential U.S. response if a missing U.S. pilot is harmed in Iran.
Trump told The Independent that he couldn't comment on the course of action he would take if Iranian forces capture the downed service member.
“We hope that’s not going to happen,” Trump said.
U.S. forces were searching for a second service member after the rescue of the pilot of the downed F-15E fighter jet.
{{#rendered}}Lebanon’s state media is reporting that Israel destroyed a bridge in the country’s east, after the Israeli military warned it would target two crossings in the area.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, Israeli warplanes struck a bridge linking the towns of Sohmor and Mashghara, “leading to its destruction,” Agence France-Presse reported via The Times Of Israel.
“Israeli warplanes targeted the bridge that links Sohmor with Mashghara," the National News Agency said.
Earlier, Israel’s military said it planned to target bridges in the area to prevent the movement of “reinforcements and military equipment” to Hezbollah.
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., on Friday criticized Polymarket, the online prediction platform, over wagers on the rescue of a downed U.S. service members in Iran.
"There is an ongoing search and rescue operation for a missing American service member whose plane was shot down over Iran. Their safety is unknown," Moulton wrote on X.
"They could be your neighbor, a friend, a family member. And people are betting on whether or not they'll be saved," he added. "This is DISGUSTING."
Moulton noted that President Donald Trump is an investor in "this dystopian death market and may have access to intelligence that isn't public yet."
In response to Moulton's post, Polymarket said it has taken down the "market," saying it didn't meet the company's integrity standards.
"It should not have been posted, and we are investigating how this slipped through our internal safeguards," the company said.
While the exact location of the downed jet remains unclear, Iran’s state media has pointed to two provinces — Khuzestan and Kohgiluyeh-Boyerahmad, according to BBC News.
Terrain across those regions differs significantly. Khuzestan is largely flat, while Kohgiluyeh-Boyerahmad lies within the Zagros Mountains, characterized by steep ridgelines and limited flat ground.
If the aircraft is located in more mountainous areas, recovery efforts could be complicated by difficult access and uneven terrain. Higher elevations in the Zagros can also experience colder conditions — and even snow and ice — which may further affect operations.
President Donald Trump has also previously claimed that Iran’s air force has been “wiped out entirely,” though the extent of the country’s remaining capabilities remains unclear — raising further questions about how quickly Iranian forces could respond in difficult terrain.
{{#rendered}}Reza Pahlavi, the exiled prince of Iran, called for the expulsion of Iraqi militia members from Iran.
“The terrorists of the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi), carrying Iraqi flags, have taken up positions in the streets and squares of Iran,” Pahlavi said in a post on X.
"They parade around, sowing fear and threatening massacres, while chanting their propaganda in the face of our people," he added. “They have no place in Iran. They must be expelled immediately from the pure soil of Iran."
Pahlavi questioned the Iranian military for allowing the influence of Iraqi militias in his country.
"Where is the Iranian Army? Where are the veterans of the eight-year war with Iraq?" he asked. "Where has Iranian military honor gone, that Iraqi terrorists now lord over the lives, property, and honor of Iranians from Khuzestan to Tehran?"
When a U.S. military aircraft goes down in hostile territory, the mission quickly shifts to a personnel recovery effort.
From that moment, the crew relies on Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to stay alive, avoid capture and await rescue.
SERE specialists prepare airmen in high-risk roles for these scenarios, equipping them with the skills needed to survive and ultimately “return with honor,” according to the U.S. Air Force.
“The strength of SERE specialists lies in their ability to prepare others for the critical Personal Recovery mission. They empower others with skills for survival, evasion, resistance, and escape in adverse conditions,” the Air Force states.
At the same time, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) forces are mobilized to recover them. These units train for dangerous, long-range missions in tough conditions, often with limited communication.
Qatar is reportedly resisting pressure from the U.S. and regional allies to take a key role in mediating a potential ceasefire with Iran, officials say.
The country told U.S. officials last week it is not interested in spearheading the effort, according to sources familiar with the discussions, The Wall Street Journal reported.
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The two crew members aboard an F-15E fighter jet that went down over Iran are both male, sources told Fox News.
The pilot of the aircraft has been rescued and a search was underway for the second crew member.
The rescued pilot was undergoing medical treatment. His condition was not disclosed.
Israel did not rescue the crew member, despite reports to the contrary.
Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
An anchor on Iranian state television reportedly read a statement urging local residents to capture the “enemy pilot or pilots” and hand them over alive to security forces.
A reward was offered in return, FOX 29 reported, citing The New York Times.
World food prices climbed in March for the second consecutive month as energy prices continue to increase because of the conflict in the Middle East, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday.
"Price rises since the conflict began have been modest, driven mainly by higher oil prices and cushioned by ample global cereal supplies," FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero said in a statement.
"But if the conflict stretches beyond 40 days with high input costs with current low margins, farmers will have to choose: farm the same with fewer inputs, plant less, or switch to less intensive fertilizer crops. Those choices will hit future yields and shape our food supply and commodity prices for the rest of this year and all of the next," Torero added.
The FAO Food Price Index rose by 2.4% from its revised February level, a 1% above its value a year ago.
{{#rendered}}An Egyptian citizen was killed and four people sustained minor injuries after debris from an intercepted attack fell on Abu Dhabi’s Habshan gas facilities, Abu Dhabi’s media office says.
The Egyptian was killed during the evacuation of the site, while four others — two Egyptians and two Pakistanis — sustained minor injuries, the media office said.
"Significant damage has occurred at the facilities and an assessment is ongoing," the media office said in a post on X.
"The public is advised to obtain information only from official sources and to avoid spreading rumours (sic) or unverified information," it added.
Mediation efforts led by Pakistan and regional countries to broker a ceasefire between the United States and Iran have reached a dead end, according to reports.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran has told mediators that it is unwilling to meet U.S. officials in Islamabad, saying Washington's demands are unacceptable.
Turkey and Egypt were looking at alternative sites to host the talks, such as Qatar or Istanbul, the report states.
An Israel Defense Force (IDF) spokesperson said Israel has halted strikes against the Iranian regime as search and rescue efforts are underway for a missing crew member of a downed U.S F-15E fighter jet.
Sources told Fox News that a pilot had been rescued and searches for the second crew member are ongoing.
{{#rendered}}The Trump administration has notified congressional leaders about the downed F-15E in Iran, Fox News has learned.
Lawmakers are not in Washington and are not scheduled to return until the week of April 13.
There is no information available yet on whether a congressional briefing will take place.
Fox News' Kelly Phares contributed to this report.
One pilot has been rescued, and an intense search was underway for a second crew member after a U.S. fighter jet went down over Iran, a source told Fox News.
It wasn't clear how the F-15E went down, but it reportedly was over the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province.
Iranian state media on Friday released images purporting to show a damaged U.S. fighter jet, including an ejector seat.
Fox News has not verified their authenticity.
The F-15E reportedly went down over Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, a southwest province in Iran close to Kharg Island.
It was not clear how the aircraft was downed.
{{#rendered}}President Donald Trump has been briefed Friday on an F-15E fighter jet that went down over Iran, Fox News has learned.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and state media claimed to have shot down a U.S. fighter jet over central Iran, specifically in the mountainous Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
Initial Iranian reports claimed the aircraft was an F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. However, subsequent photos of wreckage released by Iranian media suggest the aircraft may be an F-15E Strike Eagle, likely from the 494th Fighter Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath.
Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report
The U.S. is now flying B-52 bombers over Iran — an operational shift that signals American forces have achieved air superiority inside parts of the country after weeks of strikes degraded Tehran’s defenses.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said in a briefing Tuesday the missions began "given the increase in air superiority," as U.S. forces expand operations inside Iranian territory.
President Donald Trump said during an address to the public Thursday night that Iran’s air defenses had been "annihilated," calling U.S. forces "unstoppable."
New footage shows the aftermath of a strike that hit Iran's biggest bridge near Tehran.
The B1 highway bridge, a key link between Iran’s capital and the western city of Karaj, is considered the tallest in the Middle East and was only inaugurated earlier this year. Video shows damage to the structure.
President Donald Trump declared in a Thursday Truth Social post that Iran's largest bridge had come "tumbling down," sharing footage of a thick plume of smoke near a bridge, part of which appeared to fall during the video.
"The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again -- Much more to follow! IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY!" the president declared in the post.
Iranian officials condemned the strike and said at least eight people were killed. The Associated Press reported that the strike on the bridge injured another 95 people celebrating Nature Day, when Iranians gather for picnics and other celebrations outdoors on the last day of Nowruz, the Persian new year.
Fox News' Bonny Chu and The Associated Press contributed to this post. (
{{#rendered}}The State Department expelled Iran's deputy ambassador to the United Nations last December after he left a designated area, a Middle Eastern source told Fox News Digital.
Axios first reported Friday that deputy ambassador Saadat Aghajani was asked to immediately depart the U.S. in December, but the expulsion was kept quiet at the time.
A Middle Eastern source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital the incident dates back several months, citing reporting that the deputy ambassador left a designated area and noting that two other members of the delegation of the mission were also expelled.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations told Fox News Digital it had “no comment.”
A State Department official confirmed to Fox News Digital that the United States delivered a Note Verbale on Dec. 4 "regarding the status of certain Iranian personnel at the UN."
"For privacy and security reasons, we do not comment on the specifics of diplomatic personnel actions," the official said, adding, "This action occurred well before the protests in Iran and is unrelated to those events."
According to Axios, Aghajani was asked to leave the U.S. under "section 13 procedures,” which is an internal process at the State Department to process a quiet expulsion. At least two other junior Iranian diplomats had been expelled in the two months before Aghajani.
The State Department in September had restricted the movements of Iranian diplomats at the UN mission to a 25 mile-radius from central Manhattan, Axios reported.
Aghajani’s children, who had stayed in New York after their father departed were also asked to leave the U.S. in February, a U.S. official told Axios.
Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter contributed to this report
President Donald Trump in a Truth Social Post on Friday said the U.S. could "easily" open the Strait of Hormuz with "a little more time."
"With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???" Trump wrote.
The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to strain global energy markets as Operation Epic Fury approaches a sixth week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during remarks on Friday that Israel and the United States "are continuing to crush the terrorist regime in Iran," according to a translation from Hebrew.
"Together with our American friends, we are continuing to crush the terrorist regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, and bombing bridges and infrastructure," he said.
"In recent days, the Air Force has destroyed 70% of Iran's steel production capacity. This is a tremendous achievement that deprives the IRGC of both funding sources and the ability to produce large quantities of weapons," he noted.
The U.S. and Israel have continued their joint operation against Iran for five weeks.
"In full coordination between myself and President Trump, and between the IDF and the US military, we will continue to crush Iran. This regime is weaker than ever – Israel is stronger than ever," Netanyahu declared.
"In Lebanon, we are continuing to forcefully strike at Hezbollah. We are continuing to expand the security zone and firmly establish it in order to protect the communities of the North," he noted.
"I wish to commend you, citizens of Israel, for standing firm and following the Home Front Command instructions, even on Passover Seder night. Continue to do so. Continue to stand firm," he said. "With G-d’s help, we will continue to fight and we will achieve all of our goals. Happy Passover"
Fox News' Anne Butterworth contributed to this report
{{#rendered}}The Israel Defense Forces indicated that around 1,000 terrorists have been killed in Lebanon during the past month.
The IDF's post on X also indicated that during that time period in Lebanon there have been "3,500+ terror targets struck," as well as "5 central bridges used to transfer weapons and enemy forces," and "Key assets and financial storage sites."
The State Department expelled Iran's deputy ambassador to the United Nations last December, Axios reported Friday, citing a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of the matter.
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment Friday and an official noted: "We can confirm that the United States delivered a Note Verbale on December 4 regarding the status of certain Iranian personnel at the UN. For privacy and security reasons, we do not comment on the specifics of diplomatic personnel actions. This action occurred well before the protests in Iran and is unrelated to those events."
Axios reported that the expulsion happened due to national security concerns.
In early December, the State Department issued a note to the Iranian Mission to the UN in New York requesting for deputy ambassador Saadat Aghajani to depart America at once, according to Axios.
In February, the department asked the man's children, who had stayed in New York after their father's exit, to leave the United States as well, a U.S. official reportedly told Axios.
President Donald Trump on Thursday said the U.S. military "hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran," vowing to target bridges and electric power plants next."
Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!" the president continued.
{{#rendered}}Live Coverage begins here